Iconic brands – from Robinsons to Tango – to be powered by renewables as Britvic signs exclusive solar power agreement with Atrato Onsite Energy

Britvic, the FTSE 250 global soft drinks business, has partnered with Atrato Onsite Energy, a leading solar energy provider, to deliver clean energy to Britvic via an innovative 10-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).

Atrato’s new solar installation in Northamptonshire will generate energy exclusively for Britvic. It will have a total capacity of 28 MW and will be capable of generating 33.3 GWh pa of clean energy, the equivalent of powering 11,500 homes or planting 260,000 trees. The electricity generated will be enough to power 75 % of Britvic’s current operations in Great Britain, including its Beckton and Leeds factories, which can produce 2,000 recyclable bottles per minute for a portfolio of iconic brands including Tango, Pepsi and Robinsons.

As part of Britvic’s Healthier People, Healthier Planet sustainability mission to make a positive contribution to society, they are tackling their carbon footprint head on. Through innovation, utilising low carbon technology and energy sources, and establishing a more sustainable supply chain, Britvic is determined to play its part in securing a healthier future for the planet.

Britvic has committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and has led the industry as the first UK soft drinks company to have a 1.5 °C target verified by the Science Based Targets initiative. Britvic has demonstrated its commitment to this goal, having reduced its direct carbon emissions by 34 % since 2017 and generated 57 % of its energy needs from renewable sources in 2022, up from 28 % in 2018¹.

Progress has been achieved through significant investments across Britvic’s manufacturing base. For example, Britvic has installed five biomass boilers in Brazil, delivered multiple energy saving projects, is investing £ 4 million in a heat recovery system at Beckton, and they’ve recently announced a new Corporate Power Purchase Agreement in Ireland that will ensure that Ballygowan, Ireland’s iconic water brand, is produced using 100 % renewable electricity harnessed from local wind energy.

In this latest milestone, Britvic’s agreement with Atrato has provided the investment security needed to build the new solar farm in an old quarry in Northamptonshire. This will see 28 MW of new additional renewable energy capacity created as a result of the deal.

Atrato will supply Britvic with solar electricity that is commercialised on a pay as you generate basis but is delivered on a baseload basis that is consistent to the consumption needs of the company. This innovative and long-term PPA has underwritten the Atrato’s investment into this solar project.

Atrato has fully financed the solar installation, which is expected to be commissioned in early 2024. In only 19 months since IPO, Atrato has built a portfolio of 40 solar sites across the UK. Atrato is the green energy solution provider of choice for many UK companies with an impressive client list of blue-chip corporates including Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Anglian Water, Nissan and Amazon.

¹Britvic Annual Report 2022, page 3